I do not own Fate Stay/Night or Witch on the Holy Night.
Aoko Aozaki walked through the quiet park, the cold winter air biting at her cheeks. The stars above were bright tonight, scattered like shards of broken glass across the inky sky. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her coat, her thoughts preoccupied with her latest experiments. A ripple in the air—subtle but distinct—pulled her from her musings.
Her instincts sharpened. Something was wrong.
A faint golden shimmer lit up the darkness ahead, coalescing into the shape of a man. He stood tall, clad in a red shroud that contrasted sharply with his silver-white hair. His stance was composed but carried an undeniable flair of mystery.
The man's steel gaze met hers, calm but calculating. For a moment, neither spoke.
"Well," Aoko said, breaking the silence, "you're not something I see every day. What's your deal?"
The man raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "I could ask you the same thing. You're not exactly the average bystander, are you?"
Aoko smirked. "You're quick to judge. But you're not wrong. So? Are you going to answer me, or should I start throwing questions harder?"
The man—no, the figure, because Aoko was certain he wasn't entirely human—considered her for a moment. Then, with an almost imperceptible shrug, he said, "You can call me Archer. Let's leave it at that."
"Archer, huh?" Aoko repeated, her tone skeptical. "Doesn't explain why you're here or why you're glowing like a lightbulb."
Archer glanced at his hands, then back at her. "That's a long story. Let's just say I'm not supposed to be here and leave it at that."
"Not supposed to be here," Aoko echoed, her smirk turning sharp. "That's not ominous at all. You sure you're not here to pick a fight?"
"If I were, you'd know by now," Archer replied, his tone steady, almost bored. "But no, I'm not looking for trouble. Just... passing through."
Aoko tilted her head, studying him. He wasn't lying, at least not outright, but there was something about him that set her on edge. His presence was too heavy, too unnatural, for her to believe he was just some harmless wanderer.
"Passing through," she repeated. "Right. And I'm the Tooth Fairy." She stepped closer, her hands still in her pockets, but her magic ready to ignite at a moment's notice. "Let me guess—you're some kind of spirit, summoned by accident, and now you're stuck here until you figure out what's next. Sound about right?"
Archer's lips quirked into a faint smile. "Not bad. You're sharper than most."
"Comes with the territory." Aoko shrugged. "And you're definitely not from around here. You reek of... something else. Death? I don't know. Whatever it is, it's not normal."
Archer nodded slightly, acknowledging her observation. "You're not wrong. But you're no ordinary human, either. You are... a mage, and a really strong one."
Aoko's smirk widened. "You've got a good eye, I'll give you that. But flattery's not going to get you anywhere, Archer."
"Noted," Archer said, his tone amused.
For a moment, the two simply stared at each other, the tension in the air palpable but not hostile. Finally, Aoko broke the silence.
"Alright, Archer. You don't seem like you're here to cause trouble, and I've got better things to do than babysit a wayward spirit. But if you do decide to make a mess, I'll clean it up. Got it?"
"Crystal clear," Archer replied, his voice carrying a note of respect.
"Good." Aoko turned and began walking away, though she cast one last glance over her shoulder. "Try not to get in over your head. You might not get so lucky next time."
Archer watched her go, a faint smile lingering on his lips. "I could say the same to you," he murmured, his voice too soft for her to hear.
The park returned to its quiet stillness, but for both Aoko and Archer, their brief encounter lingered in their thoughts. Two wanderers from vastly different worlds had crossed paths, and while they might not have realized it yet, their meeting was the first ripple of a much larger wave.
Author's Note: Hello everyone. This is another one shot(?) that I've been racking my mind around. This was something I envisioned at random. I haven't finished Witch on the Holy Night. Currently on chapter 9 and I plan on finishing it soon. After I finish Mahoyo, I plan on starting the Fate Stay/Night visual novel immediately.
Anyway, I enjoy Aozaki Aoko as a character although my favorite character is Kuonji Alice. The moments she had with Soujyuro is lovely and engaging. I figured what it would be like if Archer Emiya is randomly summoned in the time when Aoko and Alice are still young and upcoming magus. This is before the events of Mahoyo so Soujyuro may or may not be in this story. I'm not entirely sure if I plan to use him, yet. I still don't have a good handle on his character to write him accurately. We'll see what happens though.
Thank you for reading this story and I hope you enjoyed!